25 Things You May Not Know About Bernie Sanders

*Bernie Sanders entered into politics through the civil rights movement, more than a half century ago. He organized with CORE (the Congress of Racial Equality) in Chicago, and led a sit-in against segregated housing as far back as 1962.

*According to John Nichols of The Nation, Sanders is one of only 2 sitting U.S. Senators who actually attended the 1963 March on Washington, and saw Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., give his “I Have A Dream” speech in person. (The other is Mitch McConnell, believe it or not...) At the time, Sanders was an organizer for SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee).

*Bernie Sanders is one of the only elected White officeholders who endorsed Jesse Jackson for President (twice!). In 1984, he got slapped at a rally when he endorsed Jackson (though the slap was probably for remaining an Independent Socialist, rather than a Democrat). In 1988, Sanders and his organizers helped Jackson win a surprise victory in the Vermont caucuses--by one state delegate. In Jesse’s memorable phrase, Bernie Sanders & Jim Hightower were among the few elected White officeholders brave enough to “cross the color line” to support him when it mattered.

*Born in Brooklyn, Sanders moved to Vermont in the early 1970s, and worked as a writer for alternative newspapers and as a carpenter. He became a leader of the Liberty Union Party in Vermont, an alternative third party that fiercely opposed the war in Vietnam and stood for reform of the marijuana laws.

*Senator Sanders was one of the very first to respond with a Constitutional Amendment to roll back the awful Citizens United decision by the Roberts Supreme Court.

*Now in his 25th year in Congress, Bernie Sanders has served longer in the House & Senate than any independent in American history.

*Bernie defeated a multi-term Democratic incumbent to become Mayor of Burlington by 10 votes, after expanding the electorate with new voter registrations & grassroots GOTV.

*When Bernie entered politics, Vermont was considered a Republican state. He was the first non-Republican to ever win his Senate seat, after a century-and-a-half of GOP control. (Democrat Patrick Leahy was the first non-Republican to win the other Senate seat, in the Watergate year of 1974.) Earlier Sanders had been the first ever to defeat a Republican incumbent House member, since 1854, when the GOP was created.

*While in the House, Sanders voted against the anti-gay, anti-lesbian Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). He is the only one running who can say that. (It was a very controversial vote at the time.)

*While in the House, Sanders voted against both the first Iraq War & the second Iraq War. Again, he is the only one running who can say that.

*Bernie marched in New York City last September, at the massive climate change march there. Maybe that’s one of the big reasons that 350.org Founder Bill McKibben endorsed Sanders at his kickoff rally in Burlington last week. Or maybe it’s because Bernie is the only one running who actually voted against the Keystone XL Pipeline.

*Bernie Sanders has been a national leader in the media reform movement.

*Bernie may be the only Senator who has never run a negative campaign ad.

*At one point during Sanders’ service in the House, he had successfully passed more amendments to bills than any other Representative. He knows his way around.

*Sanders was the first Congressperson to take senior citizens across the border to Canada to obtain cheaper prescription drugs. Bernie also took women suffering from breast cancer, enabling them to purchase medications in Canada at 1/10 their cost in the U.S.

*Bernie got the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) started. Now it is the largest caucus in the House, and--headed by Rep. Keith Ellison & Rep. Raul Grijalva--also the most valuable.

*Rep. Sanders voted against the original USA Patriot Act in 2001. As you might expect, this was also an extremely controversial vote at the time.

*Working across the aisle with Rep. Ron Paul, in 7/10 Sen. Sanders surprised everyone by successfully passing a requireme

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 15

10/17/2015

He is an evil, corrupt, warmongering tool.

I hope he wins. Maybe then the South and Texas will finally secede.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 1

10/14/2015

Many of those items have been spun.

[quote]*While in the House, Sanders voted against the anti-gay, anti-lesbian Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). He is the only one running who can say that. (It was a very controversial vote at the time.)

While technically true, if you review his statement about WHY he voted against it, it wasn't because he supported gay people. It was based on the very, very republican conerstone of states' rights and keeping the federal government from usurpring it.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 2

10/14/2015

R2

If Bernie believed in states rights I would support him.

Ron Paul had it right. Bernie is just a confused idiot.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 3

10/14/2015

[quote]Ron Paul had it right

Well, you can go right ahead and jerk off to Rand Paul to your libtard heart's content.

States don't have rights. People have rights.

States have limited juridictions grated to them by the US Constitution.

People are first citizens of the United States, then the states in which they reside. States cannot abridge the rights of citizens of the United States at their whim, as they continue to try to do, even after the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of gay marriage.

This is why you illiterate libtards screech and screech, but only hear what you want to hear.

RAND inherited RON's entire political apparatus and was an integral part of his father's business, I mean, political career. As RAND is the only one currently still holding elected office, my admonishment stands.

Now, go read your third rate sci fi writer's bible - no not L Ron's "Dyanetics" - Rand's "Atlas Shrugged." I can see why you might have been confused since they're both so similar.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 7

10/14/2015

R7-

If you are going to remain so obstinately stupid about the VAST differences between Ron Paul and Rand Paul, there is no need to even discuss this with you. If you would actually look at the facts, and read some Rothbard and Mises, you might learn something.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 8

10/14/2015

He's too ugly to be representing the USA. I'm going with Hillary all the way!

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 9

10/14/2015

I thought he entered politics during the Civil War period.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 10

10/14/2015

His great grandfather was Leon Trotsky.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 11

10/14/2015

BULLY ALERT ! BULLY ALERT !

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 12

10/14/2015

r8 - you say potato...

While it's true that Alpha Centauri and Lalande 21185 are light years apart from each other, they're both so far away from where I am that the differences between them are irrelevant.

Nor is it necessary for me to understand any of the nuances associated with the Austrian School or any of its proponents.

by I'm Just Saying.

reply 13

10/14/2015

R13

Ah, yes, remaining ignorant of reality is always an option for socialists.

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